Trends In Civil Rights Litigation In U.S. District Courts.pdf

Civil Rights Complaints in U.S. District Courts (1990-2006)

This Bureau of Justice Statistics report analyzes trends in civil rights litigation within U.S. district courts from 1990 to 2006. Key findings include:

Overall Trends:

Declining Filings: After a peak in 1997, civil rights filings declined steadily through 2006, dropping by almost 20% from 2003 to 2006.
Stabilization and Decline as Percentage of Federal Caseloads: Civil rights cases peaked at 17% of all federal civil caseloads in 1998, then stabilized around 16% through 2003 before declining to 13% in 2006.

Types of Cases:

Employment Discrimination Predominates: Employment discrimination accounted for approximately half of all civil rights filings (45% in 2006), followed by housing and accommodations (2%).
Private Party Disputes: 90% of civil rights cases involved disputes between private parties.

Case Outcomes:

Jury Trials on the Rise: Jury trials became more common than bench trials during the study period.
Plaintiff Win Rates: Approximately a third of plaintiffs won at trial, with no significant changes over time.
Damage Awards: Median damage awards for winning plaintiffs ranged from $114,000 to $154,500 from 2000 to 2006, with jury awards averaging higher than bench awards.

Additional Findings:

The report highlights the expansion of civil rights laws in the early 1990s, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which broadened protected categories and increased available remedies.
* It notes the decline in the proportion of civil rights cases compared to overall federal civil caseloads since 2003.